Trapping device



W. R. FRYE. TRAPPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1922.

Patented 001;. m, 1922.,

Patented Unit, lfl, W22" rater-e IL IAM a. rave, on new rnonnncn, MISSOURI.

rnarrrne nnvrcn.

Application filed May 17;

i To all whom it may concern:

Bejt'known that ll, WILL AM Fern, a

citizen of the United-States, residing at New Florence in the county of Montgomery and Stateof Missouri, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trapping Devices, of whichthe follo-wing is a specification, referencebeinghad to the accompanyr. ing drawings. 1

This invention relates to trapping devices and has for its object to-provide a device,

of this character wherein a plurality oftrap:

ping means may have a common supporting member. I i 1' i V It is another object .ofthe invention to i provide a trapping device of this character capable of being positioned at cross runways so as to position-the trapping means within 1 each runway or path adjacent the point of intersection of said paths. j It is a further object of the invention-to provide trapping means of this character capableof being (adjusted and inserted in a hole or cave to notonly provide trapping means, within the cave, but trapping means atthe mouth of the cave. j a j 1 It is also ,an object of the invention to provide trapping means of this character wherein the traps are operable independently o'l'each other. i i

i M It is a still further objectvof the 1nven tion to provide a trappingndeviceiof this character including a pair of supporting members movably connected to each other,

IREEIIIl'JGISdIl various adjusted positlons relax tive to each other. i j a" 3 With these and other ob ects in view, the

and provided with means for holdingsaid invention consists in the improvedconstruc tion and arrangement or parts'to be hereiny after more particularly described, ,i'ully claimed and illustratedj in the accompanying drawings, in which :---f I i I 1 Figure 1 is a plan viewof a trap ngdevice constructed in accordance with an embodiment oi the invention, the various trapping means being shown in their set positions; 1

Figure 2 isa fragmentary side elevation of the connectionof the supporting bars and the means for holding said bars in adjusted positions;

Fi ure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view a other. i

1922. Serial No. 561,666.

of one of the traps and spring in their inoperative or closed positions; and 5 Figure 1 is a side elevationof the trigger mechanism. j

Referring to the drawings, 5 and 6 desig 7 1 nate supporting bars, said here may be made any length desired and of awidth suiiicient to properly support trapping means. The

bar 5 has secured to its central portion an arcuate .plate 7,said plate having a seriesof openings 8 adjacent its periphery. The bar dis pivoted at its centralportionto the central portion of the bar by means of a pivot pin 9. Secured to the bar by means of i the pivot pin 9 is a leaf spring 10 having a dog 11"connected to theend' thereof, said dog being adapted to extend through an trapping means, said trappi.ngmeans comprising studs 13 and lt said studs having oneend thereof reduced andthreaded and s5 jadapted to extend through openings uprovided in the end portions of the bars, the

studs being arranged inlspaced relation to each other corresponding (to the width of a,

trap jaw; Each of 'thestuds is provided with openings 15 adjacent itsnpper end.

Trap jaws 16 and 17 are provided for use in connection with the studs saidstrap j 5 being of conventional form and having their end portions extended outwardly in i opposite directions and passed through the registering openings of the studs 13 and 14. By

this means both jaws are pivoted ati'the same point for movement in the well known manner.

Connected to each end portion of the bars 5 and 6 between the studs 13 and 14 and projecting from one side of the bar is an arm 18 having its end portion 19 extended at right angles to the arm andbifurcated to provide care for the reception of a trigger finger 20. i Disposed inwardly of the end portion 19 is a pair of ears 21 adapted to receive the shank of a trigger plate 22, the

shank being provided with the-usual recess 23 for the reception of the trigger linger 20.

To permit movement ot-the jaws toward each other a spring 9st. is provided, said spring being bent substantially Z-shaped,

one spring being provided for each trapping means or jaw and is disposed inwardly ot the jaws at each end {)OltlODWfi llllQbiII'S 5 and 6. The end portion 25 ot the spring 'is-secured to the bar} while the'opposite-oi."

ofi'set end portionisenlargedand provided with an opening QGadapted to receive the inner end portions of the jaws and the stud 14:, so as to permit movement of said spring over the stud, and causemovement of the jaws toward each other.

Each trapping means is set inthe'well known' manner b 7 swingin the 'aws out wardly to compress the spring 24; and extending theztrigger finger 20 over one of the jaws and" into engagement with the trigger plate to hold the jaws open and set. movement of the trigger-plate by the animal thejaws are swung toward each other.

'This trapping device provides four trapping means having one support or base member in the form of the bars5 and 6.

Thesetbars, inview ofthe'novel adjusting feature ofthepllate 7 and dogll, are'capable'of beingadjusted 'rela'tive'to each other so as to move the trapping means carried by the correspondinf, end'portions ot the barstoward or away from-each other. This featurepermits the trap to be set for runways of various lengths, or placed a-t'the intersection of runways by swinging the arm tofform across. Y The device may also tobe'caught'by this device, as the trapping.

means are operable'independently of each other. I

'lVhen the device is not in use the'adjust i that it requires only one chain to fasten the same and will answer the purpose ol tour single traps. It will be found especially useful on prairies. It can be easily hidden and cannot be turned over by the animal.

What is claimed is 1 A trapping device comprising bars having trapping means disposed at each of their end portions, said bars being movably connected'at their central portions to each other.

2. A trapping device comprising bars having trapping means disposed at each of their end portions, said bars being movably connected at their central portions to each other, and means carried by said bars at their central portions for holding said bars in various adjusted positions relative to each other.

3] A trapping device comprising bars having trapping means disposed at their end portions, one of said bars having an arcnatc plate disposed at its central portion, said plate having a series of openings, the ra maining bar being pivoted at its central portion to the first mentioned bar. and provided with a spring pressed dog adapted to engage the plate to hold the bars in various adjusted positions relative to each other.

at. A trap comprising a plurality oi bars pivoted to each other at their central portions, spaced studs carried by cach end portion ofsaid bars, trap jaws pivotcd between said studs and arranged to move laterally of the bars, a leaf spring carried by each end portion of said bars adjacent the inner ends oi the jaws. one end (it said spring being secured to the bar. the opposite end of said spring being adapted to engage the inner end portions otthc jaws. an arm carried by said end portion of the bars between the jaws of said end portions, and a trigger mechanism carried by said arm and in ranged to engage one of said jaws.

In testimony whcreot I hereunto atlix my signature.

WILLIAM R. FRYE. 

